Riddle in the dark
by rookie241
Summary: Its the final year at Hogwarts and with Voldemort dead everything seems to be going smoothly. Until one of the Golden Trio begins to develop dark powers. Hermione is broken from the war and the loss of her parents. Can anyone save her from the dangerous life she is leading to? Hermione/Draco Dark fic/death
1. Chapter 1

It has been ages since I have wrote a story and I hope I'm not too rusty at it. Please feel free to leave a review because I love to hear opinions. This is a Hermione/ Draco dark fic. I know there are loads of these but I hope this one will be different from the many many others there are. Enjoy

Summary

Hermione comes back for her final year as head girl. But that isn't what everyone is talking about. Hermione Jane Granger is no longer the goody goody that everyone knew her to be. No one knows what happened to her over the Summer but many are dying to find out.

Chapter 1 Changed

Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley stood on Platform nine and three quarters looking out of the sea of parents and children waiting to board the Hogwarts express. There faces laced with panic as the final whistle was about to be blown for everyone to board the train. They could see Luna and Neville standing by the train admiring Neville's new owl, the Weasley twins with their mother saying their last goodbyes to their youngest sibling, Ginny and they could see the Slytherin (Malfoy, Parkinson, Crabbe, Goyle and Zabini) huddled in a corner looking as if they were already planning the best year of their lives… and the worst for anyone in Gryffindor. But they still hadn't found their best friend, Hermione Granger.

But the whistle was blown and all the students were filing onto the train.

"I can't see her!" Ron snapped in anger as the two of them were forced onto the train by the twins.

"She's probably running late for something, Ron. We'll wait for a while and contact Dumbeldore if she turns up." Mrs Weasley replied and gave him one final shove with the twins to get him on the train.

"Yeah, we'll fly her on the broomstick ourselves. Or maybe borrow dad's new car." Fred sniggered and then ducked as Mrs Weasley tried to hit him with her large handbag.

Harry and Ron made their way to an empty compartment and were joined shortly after by Ginny and Neville.

"It's not like her. If I didn't know any better I'd say she slept at the station over night to make sure she was here on time." Ginny said as they watched the platform disappear into the horizon and the trees whip past the window.

"I just hope she is ok." Neville said and they all fell into silence.

Draco Malfoy marched past each compartment making his way towards the Head's private compartment. He sneered at the first years and shoved his way through the crowds not caring who he bumped into. He even managed to send one girl head first against the food trolley. He was happy that he didn't have to sit with Pansy Parkinson fawning all over him but would have been happier to have Zabini or even Crabbe and Goyle for company. With the war over and Dark Lord dead there wasn't much he could frighten people with anymore. His father and mother were locked up in Azkaban on a life sentence and his Aunt Bellatrix had committed suicide when Voldemort's body was displayed outside the Ministry of Magic for all to see.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" A second year boy screamed as Malfoy pushed his little brother against the toilet door. He turned sharply to the boy and grabbed him by the front of his robes.

"What did you say to me?" The boy gulped and tried to wriggle free of Malfoy's grip but there was no way his strength would match.

"L-let got of m-me!" His courage had completely evaporated and now he stood shaking with fear as the Head boy stood over him.

Malfoy raised his wand and pointed it at the boys face. His eyes turned dark with anger and he was practically growling at the child. But before he could so much as utter the first letter of the curse he was knocked for behind. The wait of the person's body landed on his back as he hit the floor and, although they weren't heavy, they were strong.

"DON'T YOU EVER RAISE YOUR WAND TO A CHILD AGAIN! DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?" He could tell by the scream in their voice that the person on his back was in fact a woman…a very angry woman.

"Get off me!" He yelled and tried to throw her off but this only fuelled her anger and she placed both hands on the back of his head and slammed his face into the floor. He could taste the blood exploding in his mouth and felt the crunch of his nose breaking. She lowered her head right down to his ear and he could feel her breathe on his neck.

"You listen to me, you disgusting little ferret! You aren't in charge of this school anymore. From now on you answer to me and if I find you doing anything otherwise…you will pay dearly for it. This is just a warning. Broken bones can be healed but they can only bring you back from the dead as an inferi!" With that she got off his back and Draco was able to roll over and breathe properly. At least through his mouth he breathe.

She took out her wand and pointed it at his face, casting a healing charm. He raised his hand and wiped the blood off his face, finally able to see the girl who had attacked him. If he wasn't in such a blind rage he would have thought she was quite attractive. She had long shoulder length black hair, a slim figure, chocolate brown eyes and her clothes were dark against her cream white skin.

"Who the fuck are you?" He yelled getting to his feet and standing toe to toe with her. She was a little smaller than him but that didn't make her flinch or even react in any way.

"You normally call me, Mudblood. But Granger will do from now on." With nothing more to say she helped the two boys back into the compartment and then marched off down the corridor to the Head's compartment.

As she passed Harry and Ron she didn't even look at them. Harry tried to reach for her hand but she just slipped by not even giving them the slightest bit of notice. Harry sighed loudly and slouched back into his seat closely followed by Ron.

"I thought she would be ok." Harry said and removed his glasses to rub his eyes.

"She's taking it hard…what do you expect her to do? Pretend it never happened?" Ginny asked.

"What happened?" Neville questioned not seeing the warning look from Ron.

"Her-Hermione contacted us right after the war." Harry explained. "Her mother was in the hospital in a coma and her father was dead. The Deatheaters must have thought if they went after the people we care about then they could get to us. After that message we tried to see her. But she wouldn't speak to us. We were surprised when Dumbeldore wrote to us to inform us that she had made Head Girl. It meant that she would be coming back."

"And she hasn't spoken to anyone about it?" Neville whispered. He knew the pain of losing parents as much as Harry did. It shocked him that she wouldn't ask for help.

"Dumbeldore went to see her. He stayed with her at the hospital when her mother died. There were too many curses on her and they couldn't get her to St Mungo's on time." Ron explained. "He told us to give her some time. But it doesn't seem to be doing any good."

"Well at least she made the train. All we'll have to do is be there when she needs us to be." Ginny replied and offered Harry a comforting smile. Which he returned gratefully.

Hermione sat in the Head's compartment with her legs tucked under her and her head pressed against the glass. Her mind wandered to the last conversation she had with her Headmaster.

"_Time heals everything. But sometimes it takes a little effort to hurry time along." He smiled at her with no twinkle in his eye._

"_I don't want to heal…I want my family back." She had done her crying. She had cried none stop for weeks. Now she was angry._

"_What good can this hatred do now? Hate only leads to more pain." _

"_As long as anyone who ever had something to do with Voldemort is still living then I will always feel hatred."_

_Dumbeldore looked away unable to look at the girl who once sat so bright and happy and eager. Now here sat a shell of that person now filled with the pain and suffering he had tried so hard to protect his students from. _

"_As long as you hate them all, you will never rest…and neither will your parents." He patted her hand gently and then walked from the room leaving Hermione to watch her mother take her last breaths. _

"GRANGER!" She turned sharply and glared at the man standing in front of her. His clothes were changed and his face washed. To anyone who hadn't witnessed it, it would look like nothing ever happened between them.

"Yes, Ferret?" She replied turning her attention back to the window just as Hogwarts came into view.

"You owe me an apology!" He snapped grabbing her chin and forcing her to look at him.

"Your family owes lives…but I don't see you offering them up!" She snapped back and stood up.

"Leave my family out of this!"

"That's ironic…because that's all I ever asked for!" She shoved him hard against the compartment door and he glared daggers at her. Pulling out his wand he pointed it at her chest. Breathing hard he just stood there glaring at her.

"What are you waiting for?" She snapped but her voice broke. "Do it. Just DO IT!"

She lurched forward grabbing his arm and pulling him close holding the tip of the wand against her chest. Malfoy was now pale with shock. All his anger turned to confusion as the Gryffindor that stood before him was practically begging him to end her life.

"JUST KILL ME!"

Well that's the end of chapter one. What did you think? Good? Bad? Ok? Please leave a review.


	2. Chapter 2

Hope you all enjoyed the first chapter. I should clear up a few things before I continue.

1. Yes Dumbledore is still alive

2. Some things in this story are more movie than book related. I am a loyal fan of the books but for this to work I had to go with the movie plot line. I apologise if this offends anyone.

3. I know the Head Boy, Head Girl thing is overdone. But I like that idea too much to let it go.

And on with the story.

Chapter 2 Tortured

Hermione did not feel ready to face her friends. In fact she was finding it hard enough to pass through the corridors and ignore the whispering…and that was only the portraits. They had heard rumours of the girl who had fought with Harry Potter, who had helped to defeat the Dark Lord and then sat and watched her parents die. Yet they all wondered the same thing. The same as the staff, the students and even what was left of her family. Why had she returned? Why come back to the place where it had all happened? The place that held so many memories of pain and suffering.

She had returned for one reason. Revenge. Revenge on those who had not come to help, revenge on those who had ran away in fear and revenge on those who now stood like pillars of society while the rest of the world was rebuilding. She wanted revenge for her family and her friends who had lost their lives in this battle. She wanted to take down every dishonourable soul who dared to rise against them. The burning hatred that was now within her would not stop until this was done

"HERMIONE!" She stopped her train of thought at the sound of Ginny's voice. "Why didn't you come to the dinner? We all missed you."

"I'm not very hungry." She replied quietly and then turned and carried on walking.

"Hermione, you need to talk to someone. You aren't dealing well with this and you need help."

"I'm fine!" Hermione snapped and then made a sharp turn towards the Head's common room. "Dragon's breath." She spoke to the portrait and the silver dragon breathed fire and smoke from its mouth as the portrait swung open. She turned to the young girl who was watching her hopefully. But all she saw when she looked at her was a reminder of the pain she was feeling.

"I'm tired, Ginny. Good night."

With that the portrait swung closed in front of the young Weasley leaving her hurt and angry at the new Head Girl.

"Well that was harsh. What? Is the Golden trio becoming the Dynamic Duo all of a sudden." Hermione felt her body tense. She discreetly slipped her wand from her pocket and turned to face Malfoy.

"I'm not in the mood." She said through clenched teeth.

"You still owe me an apology." He sneered at her and stood up. "Or would you like me to just follow up on that request you made earlier and end your life?"

He knew he had hit a nerve when he saw her square her shoulders ready to attack.

"Don't push me, Ferret!"

"Or what? Are you going to beg me to kill you again?" They both knew that he wouldn't do it. He had ran from that carriage like a terrified child. That had shocked even Hermione.

She drew her wand and pointed it at him. Her hand was shaking and her face was flushed with rage.

"I swear to Merlin I will end you." He was one of the reasons she was here. He had been a death eater, he had been on Voldemort's side and he had attacked people she cared about. So why couldn't she do it. The spell was in her mind.

"You know what will happen. If you kill me, it will be a one way ticket to Azkaban. You would be tortured for the rest of your miserable life while the rest of the world carried on without you." He was now standing toe to toe with her again. This time her wand was burning a hole through his shirt.

"And how did you manage to stay out? Your parents were the scum of the earth, who would have happily destroyed this world for the Dark Lord. You were no different. Why aren't you sharing a cell with them?" She asked watching his cheeks begin to burn with anger.

"My family are paying for their crimes, Granger. I made a choice not to fight for or against the Ministry and Dumbledore stuck true to his promise and protected me for that. If I had fought with the Ministry I would have been fighting my own family and if I had gone the other way then, yes, I would be locked in Azkaban with them. So I went under Dumbledore's protection and here I stand. Safe and sound." He grinned at her feeling so proud of himself.

"So you hid like a coward in the shadows while everything crumbled around you. Clever." She gave him his trademark sneer and that caused his anger to boil over.

He shoved her as hard as he could sending her across the room and slamming into the wall. But she was on her feet in seconds and casting a curse at him.

"CONFRINGO!" Draco dodges out of the way and the curse smashes into the table and chairs in the corner and blows them in oblivion.

"You stupid, crazy bitch!" He screams at her. "Expelliarmus!" Hermione's wand is knocked from her hand and Draco grabs her and pins her arms at her sides before she can reach it again. Standing so close and seeing all the rage and anger in her eyes…he saw it. The same thing he had seen on the train. The thing that had made him run. Something in her. Something different. Something dangerous.

"Who are you?" He asks as she grins at him.

So there you go. Love it? Hate it? Please drop me a review.


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